brother
BRUH-thuh
Brother (noun) means a boy or man who shares at least one parent with you. Example: “My brother is two years older than me.”
noun
1
A boy or man who shares at least one parent with you.
"My brother is two years older than me."
"She has three brothers and one sister."
"My younger brother always borrows my charger and never gives it back."
2
A man treated as a close ally, peer, or fellow member of a group, cause, or community.
"The soldiers who served together called each other brothers."
"He greeted the other union members as brothers."
"The old sailors treated every fellow crew member as a brother, whatever his background."
3
A title used for a male member of a religious order.
"Brother Michael has run the monastery school for twenty years."
"Brother Thomas rings the bell at the abbey every morning before breakfast."
"The visitors were welcomed at the gate by a smiling brother in a brown robe."
intj
1
Used to express frustration, disbelief, or exasperation.
""Oh, brother," he sighed, watching the queue grow longer."
"Brother, not another delay on the same train line!"
"Oh brother, I forgot my keys again and now I am locked out."
How to use brother
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA male sibling, or by extension, a man treated like family because of shared loyalty, cause, or community.
Common pairings
big brother
little brother
brother in arms
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Word forms
- Plural
- brothers, brethren
- Third person singular
- brothers
- Past tense
- brothered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
My _____ is two years older than me.
Etymology
One of the oldest words in the language, tracing back through Old English brōþor to the ancient Proto-Indo-European word for "brother" — related to similar words in nearly every European and many Asian languages, from German Bruder to Sanskrit bhrātṛ.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for brother
See all rhymes for brother →Frequently asked questions
What does “brother” mean?
The word “brother” means a boy or man who shares at least one parent with you. In plain terms, a male sibling, or by extension, a man treated like family because of shared loyalty, cause, or community.
How do you pronounce “brother”?
“Brother” is pronounced BRUH-thuh (/ˈbɹʌðɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “brother” in a sentence?
Here is “brother” used in a sentence: “My brother is two years older than me.”
What part of speech is “brother”?
Depending on how it is used, “brother” can be a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “brother” come from?
The word “brother” comes from Old English.
Is “brother” a common word?
“Brother” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “brother” have?
“Brother” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a boy or man who shares at least one parent with you.
What is the difference between a brother and a half-brother?
A full brother shares both parents with you, while a half-brother shares only one — the same mother or the same father, but not both. A stepbrother, by contrast, shares no biological parent at all; he becomes your brother through a parent's marriage rather than through blood.
What is the difference between a brother and a sibling?
"Sibling" is a gender-neutral term for any child who shares at least one parent with you, whether male or female. "Brother" is more specific — it means a male sibling. So every brother is a sibling, but a sibling could equally be a sister. "Sibling" is simply the wider word.
What are the types of brothers?
There are several kinds. A full brother shares both of your parents. A half-brother shares just one. A stepbrother is the son of a parent's spouse, with no shared blood. A foster or adoptive brother joins the family through fostering or adoption. People also use "brother" warmly for close male friends.
What is the opposite of brother?
The closest opposite is "sister," the female equivalent — a girl or woman who shares at least one parent with you. Both are siblings; the difference is simply gender. There is no true antonym for "brother" in the sense of a negative, since it describes a family relationship rather than a quality.
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